Long gone are the days when it was thought pregnancy involved nine months of putting your feet up and getting complete rest. Try our specially-created pregnancy exercise programme from fitness expert Joanna Hall, and have a healthy, active pregnancy

The general consensus is that being physically active throughout your pregnancy is a huge benefit for both baby and mum. While getting adequate rest is vital for your well-being, pregnant women should exercise unless advised otherwise by their GP.

Staying physically active and flexible is not only important for your general health and that of your baby, but also aids recovery and can help with postpartum weight maintenance for the new mum. Recent research, however, reveals that pregnant women are not doing enough physical activity to meet recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the Chief Medical Officer, which all advise 30 minutes of moderate activity on most, if not all, days of the week.

Listen to your body
Each pregnancy and each woman is different so while your pregnancy programme needs to involve some cardio work for aerobic stamina, as well as resistance and flexibility work to accommodate posture and body shape changes, do listen to your body as it goes through this amazing change.

• This is a time to connect with your body in a positive way and not to embark on a vigorous training routine.
• It is important to reduce your exercise intensity, since the body produces more blood plasma, effectively diluting the available oxygen your body transports around the body for energy. This means any activity you do will feel harder, leaving you shorter of breath.
• Avoid getting too hot and over-heating as you exercise, as this can cause you to feel faint as well as be of concern to the developing baby. Keep well hydrated, sipping water little and often and, if exercising indoors, always try to exercise in well-ventilated room.

Cardiovascular exercise

For cardiovascular fitness work, swimming and walking are excellent and three to four sessions a week in addition to your daily 30 minutes of moderate physical activity are quite enough. The water will provide a welcome support to your bump especially in latter stages of your second and third trimester. If you are used to exercising prior to pregnancy, swap high impact activities for lower impact activities and avoid contact sports, scuba diving, or other activities that might possibly cause abdominal distress. While some professional athletes maintain their running, it's best to replace any high impact activities such as running or skipping with low impact activities such as brisk walking.

Multitask your walking If you are already a mum, you'll know finding time to exercise is always a challenge so save time and optimise results by multitasking your walks with posture, pelvic floor and gluteal work.

• As you walk, work your abdominals by tucking your rib cage down to your hips extending tall through the top of the head. This is essential as your growing baby will naturally cause your ribcage to rise up and out broadening your back.
• Take long strides and extend through the back heel for extra buttock lifting effects.
• The pelvic floor muscles are made up of two different types of muscle fibres so it's best to challenge your pelvic floor muscles with varied paced contractions, contract them for eight strides and then release, repeat five to ten times then contract and release every two strides, repeat five to ten times.

Midriff management
Your tummy is obviously going to go through considerable changes as your baby grows. Strong abs can support your spine, push during delivery and help reclaim your shape after your baby is born. You can perform regular abdominal exercises until your bump starts to show. Once you are starting to show, here are top tips for abdominal modifications for each trimester:

In your first trimester

1. Modify your regular abdominal curl by wrapping your hands over your abdominals, holding tightly on to the sides of your waist. Slowly curl your shoulders and upper upwards, relaxing your neck and avoiding either tucking in or extending the chin.
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2. top oblique work - such as opposite arm to knee - and replace with hip hitches. Keep the tail bone on the floor, hitch one hip up towards your ribs, release and repeat on other side.
3. Pelvic tilts are also effective at this stage. Try doing them in the morning lying on your bed, it's a great way to wake up your spine as well as keeping the core area connected. Bend your knees and gently contract your stomach muscles, curling your hips up towards your ribs.

In your second trimester

1. Stop floor abdominal work and replace with seated and standing abdominal work. Compression on the main returning vein can make you feel uncomfortable and affect the flow of blood.
2. Try the seated abdominal tuck, sit upright on the floor, knees bent, feet flat and lean back hands resting lightly on your thighs. Slowly tilt back tucking your tail bone underneath you, drawing your abdominals in towards you as if cradling your baby.

In your third trimester

1. Try this tummy tuck exercise using a chair. On your knees, rest your body on your elbows with a chair or bed in front of you. Contract your abdominal muscles arching your spine to the ceiling. You can also try your earlier hip hitches seated in a chair.
2. Try to do 8 - 12 reps of each exercise three to four times a week. Remember to listen to your body throughout, breathe smoothly and enjoy your new fabulous curves.

Belt pulls
What it does: Stops troublesome lower tummy bulges, which can be a challenge post-partum. It also helps to strengthen and maintain mobility in the spine.

What you do: First put on a snug-fitting belt, but make sure it is not too tight around your bump. Buckle it so it fits around your waist. Come on to all fours with your hands under your wrists and your knees under your hips. Start with your abdominals relaxed, you may find your tummy is touching your belt. Now keeping the back straight firmly draw the abdominal muscles so you 'create' space between your tummy and your belt. You should be able to slip your fingers in between your belt and your tummy. Hold this position for 30 seconds breathing smoothly throughout. Relax for ten seconds and repeat five times.

Heel slides
What it does: Targets the lower abdominal muscles without putting any strain in the neck or pressure on the abdominal wall.

What you do: Lie on your back with your arms by your sides, legs stretched out in front of you. Bend one knee, so the foot is flat on the floor by the knee of the straight leg. Keeping your hips still, pull in your tummy muscles and slowly draw the heel in towards the other foot, so that both legs are bent. Keep the foot relaxed and slowly extend the leg out along the floor again. Remember to keep the foot relaxed and focus on the tummy muscles drawing the leg in and not the thigh muscles.

Chest openings
What it does: This is great for combating hunched rounded shoulders, which you may start to experience as your breasts get bigger, and while breastfeeding.

What you do: Lie on the floor, knees bent on one side and at the hip. Hold a small weight or can of beans in your top hand and slowly extend the arm up and over to the other side as if following the arc of a circle. Keep the elbow soft so you tone the arm as you open up the shoulders. Bring the arm back to the start position. Remember to keep the shoulders down and neck long as you complete each move. Perform six on one side and then swap sides.

For the arms

Frontal raise and lateral arm combo
What it does: Gives shape and tone to the front of the arm as well as creating and defining the shoulders.

What you do: Stand with good posture, hold a weight in each hand, palms away from thighs. Lift slowly on four counts to eye line, keeping elbows in line with wrists. When level with eyes, take arms out to side level with shoulders for four counts and lower to side on eight counts. Repeat lift arms to side on four counts and level with shoulders on four counts and then draw them in front of the body and lower on eight counts.

Tricep dip and arm reach
What it does: Streamlines whole body, tightens backs of arms and firms buttocks.

What you do: Start sitting on the edge of a chair. Your fingers need to be facing forward and your elbows in line. Support your weight and lower yourself down for a tricep dip position keeping the elbow pointing back behind you. Extend back up to straight arm position and then press your hips forward and stretch one arm up over your head on your diagonal.

For the legs

Can opener and extension
What it does: Streamlines outer hips and thighs and helps to lengthen and tone muscles of whole leg.

What you do: Lie on your side, knees bent as if sitting on a chair. Keeping your feet and knees together, lift your feet off the floor. This is your start position. Keeping the feet together, open the top knee as wide apart as possible using the outer thigh. Lower the top knee and then extend the leg down the length of the body. Bring the leg back into the bent leg position and repeat.

All fours cross leg combo
What it does: Draws buttock cheeks together and targets the outer buttock area as well as lifting and firming the main buttock cheeks.

What you do: Start on all fours, wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Place your fists on top of each other and rest forehead on the top fist - this puts the spine in the correct position. Lift up one leg, bent knee slightly higher than hips. Keeping the hips level, lower the knee to the outside of the opposite calf. Lift the leg back to original position.

Stretches
When pregnant, your body naturally produces more of the hormone called relaxin which has the effect of 'loosening' joints and increasing your mobility and flexibility. It is generally advised during pregnancy that you don't aim to increase your flexibility or over-stretch one side of your body as this can create muscular imbalances and postural problems later. Instead look to maintain your flexibility, complete stretches for your hamstrings, calves and quads after your walks and enjoy this lovely spine stretch which will feel glorious as well as giving your baby more space inside you.

Side reaches
What it does: Stretches and tightens both sets of the oblique waist muscles.

What you do: Stand with good posture. Draw your abdominals in and imagine cradling your baby in towards you. Extend one arm up over your head and to the side and the other across in front of your body. Hold the position for 20 - 30 seconds, breathing throughout.

Remember pregnancy is a very special time for you to respect your body and enjoy all the wonderful changes happening inside you. Keeping active will not only help your body but help you feel better about yourself as you progress through pregnancy - so enjoy, but remember to always listen to your body.